Memorial bee celebrating Saffie Roussos' life created by friends and former classmates as part of Manchester's Bee in the City trail

Schoolchildren at Saffie Rose Roussos’ former primary school have honoured their friend and former classmate with a memorial bee in the heart of Manchester.

Year Five students at Tarleton Community Primary School, along with students from Tarleton Holy Trinity CE Primary School and All Saints CE Primary School, were busy creating the artwork – called ‘The Little Superstar’ – in May in celebration of Saffie’s life.

Saffie was one of 22 victims who died in the Manchester Arena suicide bombing in May last year where suicide bomber Salman Abedi targeted innocent bystanders at an Ariana Grande concert.

The bee memorial is one of 20 bees decorated by local schools and communities currently on display at Manchester Cathedral as part of the ‘Bee in the City’ campaign trail, displaying more than 230 bees throughout the city until Sunday, September 23, taking in the city’s most iconic, as well as hidden, landmark.

Tarleton Community Primary headteacher, Chris Upton, said: “We did it as part of the memorial to Saffie and one of the ideas was to encourage people to go back into Manchester.

“It was a team effort to bring people together.

'The Little Superstar' bee made by Saffie Roussos' friends and former classmates at Tarleton Community Primary School is on display at Manchester Cathedral

"We thought it would help pupils who were her classmates and friends.”

A group of schoolchildren from Saffie’s primary school visited in June where Mr Upton said “they had a great time”.

Canon Precentor at Manchester Cathedral, Canon Marcia Wall, said: “It is lovely to have ‘The Little Superstar’ bee created by Tarleton Community Primary School and inspired by Saffie-Rose Roussos at Manchester Cathedral.

“The bee is a celebration of Saffie’s life and it also celebrates communities coming together at difficult times.”

The plaque on Saffie's bee

Canon Marcia added: “The bee is part of the Bee in the City trail and is one of twenty bees decorated by local schools and communities on display at the Cathedral.”

Sally-Ann Wilkinson, Director of Wild in Art - the organisers of Bee in the City - said: "Some schools have chosen to pay tribute to the 22 people who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack.

"We have grouped all of these Bees together in Manchester Cathedral so that people can view them in a quiet and peaceful place.